National Board of Review of Motion Picture Awards

The George Clooney vehicle about love in the age of layoffs has become one of the Oscar front-runners after being named best picture by the National Board of Review on Thursday.

Clooney shared a win for best actor with Morgan Freeman, who won for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Invictus, directed by his longtime collaborator Clint Eastwood, who was named best director.

British newcomer Carey Mulligan was named best actress for playing a precocious teen in An Education, while The Messenger's Woody Harrelson and Air's Anna Kendrick were recognized for their supporting performances.

Small proved big with the National Board of Review, which named Anne Hathaway 2008's best actress for her role in the indie movie Rachel Getting Married and the art film Slumdog Millionaire best picture of the year.

Clint Eastwood was cited as top actor for his role as a grouchy widower in the still-to-be released Gran Torino, while The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, was singled out for its direction, by David Fincher.

Slumdog Millionaire, about an Indian man who wins a fortune on a TV show, additionally took awards for breakthrough performance by an actor – Dev Patel – and for screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, who tied with Benjamin Button writer Eric Roth for best adapted screenplay.

Comprised of film historians, experts and buffs, the National Board of Review was founded in 1909. On Thursday, its 125 members helped kick off awards season by naming their selection of the year's best.

In the supporting actor categories, the board honored John Brolin for his role as the assassin Dan White in Milk, and Penelope Cruz in Woody Allen's romantic comedy Victoria Cristina Barcelona. Best animated feature was Wall-E. – Stephen M. Silverman

George Clooney may have taken direction from the filmmaking Coen Brothers in the past – for 2000's O Brother, Where Art Thou? and 2003's Intentional Cruelty – but at Monday night's National Board of Review awards dinner in New York, it was clearly a case of role reversal.

On hand to pick up his best actor award from the group for Michael Clayton, PEOPLE's former Sexiest Man Alive – with girlfriend Sara Larson – also presented Joel and Ethan Coen the top prize, for the board's best picture of the year, No Country for Old Men.

"They can do anything," Clooney, 46, said of director Joel, 53, and writer, Ethan, 50. Summarizing their filmography and the audience to whom their movies appeal, Clooney said, "For stoners, there's The Big Lebowski ... for funny, there's Raising Arizona."